APPENDIX A: SUGGESTED CHAPTER BYLAWS
BYLAWS OF
The________________________________Chapter
ARTICLE I—NAME SECTION 1.
The name of this organization shall be the ____________________________
Chapter hereinafter referred to as the Chapter.
ARTICLE II—PURPOSES
Section 1. The purposes of the Chapter shall be to promote the purposes
and objectives of the Military Officers Association of America; foster
fraternal relations among retired, active and former officers of the
uniformed services and their National Guard or Reserve components;
protect the rights and interests of active duty, retired, Reserve and
National Guard personnel of the uniformed services and their dependents
and survivors; provide useful services for members and their dependents
and survivors; and serve the community and the nation.
ARTICLE III—STATUS
Section 1. The Chapter shall be a non-profit organization, operated
exclusively for the purposes specified in Article II above.
Section 2. Officers, directors and appointed officials shall not
receive any stated compensation for their services, but the board of
directors may authorize reimbursement of expenses incurred in the
performance of their duties.
Section 3. Nothing herein shall constitute members of the Chapter as
partners for any purpose. No member, officer or agent of the Chapter
shall be liable for acts or failures to act on the part of any other
member, officer or agent. Nor shall any member, officer or agent be
liable for acts or failures to act under these bylaws, excepting only
acts or failures to act arising out of willful malfeasance or
misfeasance.
Section 4. The Chapter shall use its funds only to accomplish the
purposes specified in Article II above, and no part of said funds shall
inure or be distributed to members.
Section 5. In the event of dissolution of the Chapter and after the
discharge of all liabilities, the remaining assets shall be given to a
non-profit organization whose purposes and objectives are similar to
those of the Chapter, such organization to be designated by a majority
vote of the board of directors.
ARTICLE IV—MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. The membership of the Chapter shall be composed of men and
women who are serving or have served on active duty or in one of the
National Guard or Reserve components as a commissioned or warrant
officer in one of the seven U.S. uniformed services (Army, Navy, Air
Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and Public Health Service) as well as widows and
widowers of any deceased individuals who would, if living, be eligible
for membership.
Section 2. Subject to the provisions of Section 1 above, membership
shall be of three classes: regular, auxiliary and honorary.
Section 3. Applications for regular or auxiliary membership shall be
submitted in writing to the board of directors. Regular and auxiliary
members shall submit recommendations for honorary membership in writing
to the board of directors. The board of directors shall be empowered to
accept or reject any application or recommendation for membership.
Section 4. The board of directors may drop any member for good and
sufficient cause after that member has been given an opportunity to be
heard.
Section 5. Regular members are required to hold and maintain membership
in the Military Officers Association of America. Auxiliary members
holding chapter offices are required to hold and maintain membership in
the Military Officers Association of America. All auxiliary members are
also encouraged to acquire and maintain such membership.
ARTICLE V—VOTING
Section 1. Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, all questions
coming before the membership shall be decided by a majority vote.
Section 2. Only regular and auxiliary members in good standing or, as
determined by the board of directors, present at a meeting of the
chapter shall be entitled to vote.
Section 3. Proxy meetings shall not be permitted at any meeting of the
chapter.
ARTICLE VI—DUES
Section 1. The annual dues for each member for the next calendar year
shall be determined by the membership at the annual meeting, after
receiving the board of directors’ recommendation in the matter.
Section 2. The annual dues for a calendar year shall become due on Jan.
1 of that year.
Section 3. The board of directors may, without further notice and
without hearing, drop any member from the roll. The member shall
thereupon forfeit all rights and privileges of membership.
Section 4. Any member who has been dropped for non-payment of dues may
be reinstated upon reapplication for membership and payment of the
annual dues for the current year.
ARTICLE VII—MEETINGS
Section 1. There shall be an annual meeting of the Chapter during the
month of November for the receipt of annual reports, the determination
of annual dues for the next calendar year, the election of officers and
directors and the transaction of other business. Notice of the meeting
shall be mailed to each member at least 20 days in advance. (Note: If a
chapter is incorporated, it must conform to any notice requirements of
relevant state laws.)
Section 2. Regular meetings of the Chapter shall be held during the
months of _____________________ ___________ unless otherwise decided by
the board of directors. Notice of each such meeting shall be mailed to
each member at least 15 days in advance.
ARTICLE VIII—BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall be composed of the elected
officers (president, 1st vice president, 2nd vice president, secretary
and treasurer), the immediate past president and five elected
directors.
Section 2. The elected officers/directors shall be elected annually or
biennially by the membership at the annual meeting. Each elected
officer/director shall take office at the first regular or special
meeting in the calendar year following election and shall serve for a
term of one year or, if elected biennially, for a two-year term.
Section 3. The board of directors shall have supervision, control and
direction of the affairs of the Chapter, shall determine its policies
or changes therein within the limits of the bylaws, shall actively
prosecute its purposes and shall have discretion in the disbursement of
its funds. It may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of
its business as may be deemed advisable and may, in the execution of
the powers granted appoint such agents as it may consider necessary.
Section 4. The board of directors shall not be authorized to adopt
resolutions or to establish positions in the name of the chapter.
Section 5. The board shall meet upon the call of the president at such
times and places as he may designate and shall be called to meet upon
demand of a majority of its members. Notice of each meeting of the
board of directors shall be mailed to each member of the board at least
10 days in advance.
Section 6. A majority of the entire board shall constitute a quorum at
any meeting of the board.
Section 7. All questions coming before the board shall be decided by a
majority vote, with each member of the board present being entitled to
one vote. Proxy voting shall not be permitted.
ARTICLE IX—OFFICERS
Section 1. The elected officers shall be a president, a 1st vice
president, a 2nd vice president, a secretary and a treasurer, each of
whom shall be a regular or auxiliary member of the chapter.
Section 2. The elected officers shall be elected by the membership at
the annual meeting. Each elected officer shall take office at the first
regular or special meeting in the calendar year following election and
shall serve for a term of one or two years or until a successor is duly
elected and installed.
Section 3. Normally, a member shall not serve more than two consecutive
terms as president; however, this provision may be waived if there are
no volunteers to assume the office and the member agrees and the Board
of Directors concur in having the member serve another term.
Section 4. The 1st vice president shall fill a vacancy in the office of
the president automatically. The 2nd vice president shall fill a
vacancy in the office of the 1st vice president automatically.
Vacancies in other offices shall be filled as the board of directors
may decide.
Section 5. The president shall be the chief elected officer of the
Chapter, shall preside at meetings of the Chapter and of the board of
directors, and shall be a member ex officio, with right to vote, of all
committees except the nominating committee. The president shall also,
at the annual meeting and at such other times as might be deemed
proper, communicate to the Chapter or the board of directors
information or proposals to help in achieving the purposes of the
Chapter. Further, the president shall perform such other duties as are
necessarily incident to the office of the president.
Section 6. In the event of the president’s temporary disability or
absence, the 1st vice president shall perform the duties of the
president. In the event of the temporary disability or absence of the
president and the 1st vice president, the 2nd vice president shall
perform the duties of the president. The vice presidents shall perform
other duties such as the president might assign.
Section 7. The secretary shall provide timely written notification of
all meetings of the Chapter and of the board of directors and shall
maintain a record of all proceedings. The secretary shall also carry
out these duties: maintain the membership records, prepare such
correspondence as might be required, maintain the Chapter’s
correspondence files and safeguard all important records, documents and
valuable equipment belonging to the Chapter. Further, the secretary
shall perform such other duties as are commensurate with the office or
as might be assigned by the board of directors or by the president.
Section 8. The treasurer shall maintain a record of all sums received
and expended by the Chapter, collect the members’ annual dues, make
such disbursements as are authorized by the Chapter or the board of
directors, deposit all sums received in a financial institution
approved by the board of directors and make a financial report at the
annual meeting or when called upon by the president. Funds may be drawn
from the account in the financial institution only upon the signature
of the treasurer. The funds, books, and vouchers in the custody of the
treasurer shall at all times be subject to inspection and verification
by the board of directors.
ARTICLE X—COMMITTEES
Section 1. The president, subject to the approval of the board of
directors, shall annually appoint standing and special committees such
as might be required by the bylaws or might be advisable.
Section 2. The standing committees of the Chapter shall include
membership, legislative and personal affairs.
Section 3. At least 60 days before the annual meeting, the board of
directors shall appoint a nominating committee of five regular members,
not currently holding elective or appointive office, to nominate
candidates for the elective offices. The committee shall notify the
secretary in writing, at least 30 days before the annual meeting, of
its proposed slate of officers and directors for the next calendar
year, and the secretary shall list in the chapter’s newsletter the
nominated candidates for the elected offices or mail a copy thereof to
each regular member at least 20 days before the annual meeting.
ARTICLE XI—AMENDMENTS
Section 1. The bylaws may be amended, repealed or altered in whole or
in part by a two-thirds vote of the membership at any duly organized
meeting of the Chapter, provided that a copy of any amendment proposed
for consideration has been mailed to each member qualified to vote at
least 15 days before the meeting.
ARTICLE XII—THE FLAG
Section 1. The American flag shall be displayed and honored at all
meetings of the chapter.
This is to certify that these bylaws were approved and adopted at the
organizing meeting of the ____________________________________ Chapter
at ____________________________________________________________________
on __________________________________.
__________________________________ _____________________________
(Name) (Name)
__________________________________ _____________________________
(Rank/Grade and Service) (Rank/Grade and Service)
__________________________________ _____________________________
(President) (Secretary)